JP2022552126A - Cooling plate system, method and apparatus for clean fuel electric vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

Efficiency of a cooling plate apparatus for a full-scale clean fuel electric aircraft having a cooling body comprising multiple bores, openings and internal chambers that work together to process and circulate a fluid coolant and act as a heat sink device. improve and interconnect with the cooling system of the electric motor, functioning cooperatively to transfer thermal energy from the electric motor using conduction, convection and radiation, and the heated fluid coolant for further processing. Transports from heated motor components to other components of the vehicle, then cools fluid coolant back into the electric motor's cooling system, in a space-saving design formed from a single or minimal number of parts for heating Effectively partitioning the heated fluid coolant, cooled fluid coolant, and electrical circuits to reduce failure modes and maintain adequate aerodynamics while reducing the number of fasteners or connections required for robustness and improve reliability.

Description

[Cross reference to related applications]
This application claims priority to and benefit from co-pending US Provisional Application No. 62/912,390, filed October 8, 2019, for all subject matter common to both applications. The disclosure of the above provisional application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates to cooling plate apparatus, systems, and methods with improved efficiency. It finds particular, but not exclusive, application to electric aircraft, including next-generation air mobility (AAM) aircraft, electric motors for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) multi-rotor aircraft configurations, and fixed-wing and other suitable for implementation in conventional propeller applications, the fuel cell module or other on-board power source converts hydrogen and oxygen or other suitable energy storage substances into electricity and then, depending on the application and architecture, The electricity is used to operate one or more electric motors. A cold plate apparatus, system, and method have multiple bores, openings, and internal chambers that work together to process fluid coolant and serve as heat sinks and coolant circulation devices, and to the body or cooling of an electric motor. Interconnects with the system and functions cooperatively to transport heated fluid coolant from the components of the electric motor, dissipating heat generated by rotor or stator currents flowing through the electric motor to produce torque , has a cooling body. Cooling plate devices use conduction, convection, and radiation to transfer heat or thermal energy out of the electric motor and transport the fluid coolant to other components of the vehicle for further processing and then cooling. The heated fluid coolant is returned to the electric motor's cooling system, and a space-saving design formed from a single or minimal number of parts efficiently distributes the heated fluid coolant, the cooled fluid coolant, and the electrical circuit. to reduce failure modes and maintain proper aerodynamics to improve motor function and efficiency, while reducing the number of fasteners or connections required to improve robustness and reliability.

Scale multirotor aircraft (sometimes called multicopters) are not new, but they are scale models not intended for the rigor or requirement of carrying human passengers, and are mostly used as toys. or for surveillance or aerial photography purposes for a limited period of time with movement controlled by a radio-controlled remote control. As a result, these devices generally include electric motors, basic batteries, heat sinks, radiators, fluids (often called coolants), It relies only on a simple power generation system with no cooling fans or any monitoring devices. For example, U.S. Patent Application No. 20120083945 specifically relates to scaled multicopters, but also to the safety, structural, or redundancy features necessary to conduct FAA-approved passenger transportation, fault tolerance and state variables. No mention is made of any system necessary to implement a practical passenger transport vehicle with analysis. The dynamics and integrity requirements to provide a full-scale aircraft capable of safely and reliably carrying human passengers and operating within U.S. and foreign airspace differ significantly from those of previous scale models.

In general, vehicles with engines use various systems that include heat from the friction of moving parts and waste heat generated by using rotor or stator currents to produce horsepower or shaft torque. and exhaust heat from subsystems must be dissipated. For example, in a brushless DC motor, the rotor may include permanent magnets that (from the rotor's perspective) generate a DC magnetic field. That magnetic field interacts with currents flowing in the windings of the stator core (consisting of stacked laminations) to produce a measurable torque between the rotor and stator, causing rotation. As the rotor rotates, the magnitude and polarity of the stator current changes continuously, so that the torque remains nearly constant, the conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy is efficient, and the current control is controlled by an inverter (e.g. , a three-phase modulated inverter or a similarly functioning digital controller). The rotation of this rotor and the conversion of energy with less than perfect efficiency generates waste heat, the heated parts increase their physical dimensions, increase the friction of the contacting and rotating parts, and add additional heat. Heat also increases the electrical resistance to continued flow of current, thus affecting efficiency, with greater resistance to current flow causing more heating of parts and components. Aircraft, automobiles, power boats, and other vehicles often use radiators to dissipate waste heat from power generation.

Whether the vehicle uses a motor, battery, fuel cell, engine, generator or other means to propel, control, steer or monitor the vehicle's travel, these components generate excessive heat. , must be managed and dissipated from the system to prevent overheating and maintain efficient operating temperatures. In many cases, heat is kept away from components that use fluids to generate excess heat. One way to do this is to use either natural airflow or airflow induced via a cooling fan to move the heated air away from the components to the cooler outside air. Scale devices generally include motor frames and housings with cast or molded fins to increase surface area and dissipate heat much like basic passive heat sinks or computers and other common electronic devices. It relies only on a simple thermal management system with no radiators, fluids (often called coolants), cooling fans, or monitoring devices for the cooling systems that are typically installed in passenger cars. Another common method is to use a flow of liquid moving through a component to heat the liquid as it moves to cooler areas in the circuit, thereby circulating the liquid through a heat generating system. Reduce component temperature. Although the use of both heat radiation to the external environment and cold water storage increases the overall efficiency of the system and its ability to adapt to varying dynamic conditions, thermodynamic principles are used to achieve the required parameters. A more sophisticated system is required to implement.

A heat sink transfers thermal energy from a hotter device to a cooler fluid medium. The fluid medium can be air, water, refrigerant, or oil. In thermodynamics, a heat sink is defined as a thermal or thermal energy reservoir capable of absorbing large amounts of heat or thermal energy without significantly changing its temperature. For example, the atmosphere or ocean can act as a heat sink. A heat source is a heat store or thermal energy store that can supply large amounts of energy without significantly changing the temperature. A practical heat sink for electronic devices must have a temperature above ambient to transfer heat by convection, radiation and conduction. Power supplies in electronic devices are not perfectly efficient and are subject to electrical resistance, which generates excess heat that can adversely affect device functionality. Therefore, heat sinks are often included in the design to spread the heat.

The principle of a heat sink operates according to Fourier's law of heat conduction, where heat is transferred from a higher temperature area to a lower temperature area if there is a temperature gradient within the body. The rate at which heat is transferred by conduction is proportional to the product of the temperature gradient and the cross-sectional area through which the heat is transferred. According to Newton's Law of Cooling, the rate of heat loss (cooling) of a body (whether conductive, convective, or radiant) is approximately proportional to the temperature difference ΔT between the body and its surroundings. A heat sink transfers heat or thermal energy from an electronic device that is producing excess heat to the surroundings of the heat sink when in contact with a cooler ambient environment, and then dissipates the excess heat to the ambient environment. , thereby cooling the electronic device.

Conversely, a heat pump moves heat energy in the opposite direction of spontaneous heat transfer by absorbing heat from a cold space and releasing it to a hotter space. A heat pump uses a small amount of an external power source to perform the task of transferring energy from a heat source to a heat sink. A heat sink is a passive heat exchanger that transfers heat generated by an electronic or mechanical device to a fluid medium, often air or liquid coolant, to dissipate the heat away from the device, thereby dissipating the heat away from the device. You can adjust the temperature to the optimum level. A heat pump is a machine or device that uses mechanical work or a hot heat source to move heat from a cooler heat source location to a hotter heat sink location. A heat pump can function as a "heater" if the purpose is to warm a heat sink, or as a "cooler" if the purpose is to cool a heat source. In any case, the principle of operation is the same. Heat moves from a relatively cold location to a relatively hot location. One method of interconnecting objects that need to be cooled and objects that need to be heated when they cannot be physically coupled is through the use of heat exchangers and working fluids. A fluid heat recovery device, commonly known as a heat exchanger, is a device that transfers heat between one or more media. Fluid heat transfer is the most common medium used in heat exchangers, and gaseous media are also used within various applications. The fluids (liquid, gas and air) can be separated in an enclosed area or in direct contact within the heat exchanger. A fluid in this application is defined according to its conventional meaning as a substance, such as a liquid or gas, that can flow, that can flow under the action of a force, and that can change shape. Fluid flow can be directed from different sources to different destinations, allowing the heat exchanger to perform heat transfer of different bodies apart from each other.

The dynamics and integrity requirements for providing a full-scale electric aircraft capable of safely and reliably carrying human passengers differ significantly from those of scale models. Such vehicles require state-of-the-art electric motors, electronics and computer technology with high reliability, safety, simplicity and redundancy control capabilities combined with advanced avionics and flight control technology. . The generation and distribution of electrical power on board a vehicle (e.g., from one or more fuel cells to one or more motors or motor controllers) involves inefficient performance, waste heat generation and dissipation rates, There are several challenges, including system complexity related to maintenance, errors and failures, constraints related to space, weight, aerodynamics and safety, to achieve viable flight performance in a variety of settings and conditions. There is a need for more efficient methods to implement relevant electromagnetic, chemical reaction, and thermodynamic principles.

To maintain one or more motors at favorable operating conditions (e.g., temperature) to dynamically respond to aircraft needs without compromising other functions and for proper vehicle performance, design advantages Power generation sub-particularly for full-scale clean-fuel electric VTOL aircraft that exploit properties to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the management and distribution of heat or thermal energy generated from the generation of electrical power (voltage and current). There is a need for an improved lightweight, highly efficient fault tolerant cold plate system method and apparatus for enhancing motor cooling in conjunction with the system. In addition, vehicle volume and mass limitations dictated by the flight parameters that must be adhered to in order to maintain successful aircraft flight limit the number, mass, and size of the systems used within the aircraft. , the waste heat from the power generation system should be dissipated simultaneously to prevent the power and electrical system from overheating. The present invention is directed to additional solutions to address these needs, in addition to possessing other desirable properties. Specifically, the present invention herein is directed to a multirotor aircraft, a personal aircraft (PAV), or US Pat. No. 9,764,822, and US Pat. Full-scale clean-fuel electric vehicles, also called aeronautical mobile vehicles (AMVs), such as the invention described in Patent No. 9,242,728, particularly hydrogen as part of a full-scale multi-rotor aircraft design. A method for managing thermal energy generated by the generation and distribution of electrical power using fuel cell modules in a full-scale vertical take-off and landing manned or unmanned aircraft having a multi-rotor fuselage including a system for generating electricity from the fuel of and equipment.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a cooling plate arrangement includes a cooling body including a top wall axially offset from a bottom wall, a hub wall interposed between the top and bottom walls, a hub wall comprising: A perimeter wall offset from the hub wall by a greater offset distance from the central axis than the perimeter wall. A perimeter wall is inserted between the top wall and the bottom wall and connects the perimeter of the top wall and the perimeter of the bottom wall. The top wall, bottom wall, hub wall, peripheral wall, and cooling body each include a thermally conductive material. The cooling plate includes an internal fluid cavity configured to hold and circulate a fluid coolant (eg, liquid or gas). An internal fluid cavity is defined by and disposed within the inner surface of the hub wall, the inner surface of the top wall, the inner surface of the bottom wall, and the inner surface of the peripheral wall. At least one partition wall is interposed between the top wall and the bottom wall. A partition wall separates a portion of the internal fluid cavity and is configured to allow directional flow through the internal fluid cavity. The open wall isolates the internal fluid cavity from a passage conduit for electrical wires that pass and connect to the electric motor. A plurality of fasteners are configured to fit a subset of the plurality of bores of the cooling body. The plurality of bores has one or more fluid inlets for receiving fluid coolant into a first portion of the internal fluid cavity and one or more fluid outlets for dispensing fluid coolant from a second portion of the internal fluid cavity. Define further.

According to aspects of the invention, the cooling plate assembly has a central opening and/or hub extending through the cooling plate assembly, through the top wall, and through the bottom wall, aligned with the central axis of the electric motor. Surrounded and defined by the outer surface of the wall may include its drive shaft or propeller shaft and one or more fluid conduit bores that isolate fluid coolant entering the electric motor from the internal fluid cavity. The cooling plate assembly attaches the top surface of the cooling plate to the housing or bottom of the stator of the electric motor and uses a first set of fasteners to make thermally conductive contact between the electric motor and the cooling plate assembly. It can be removably connected to an electric motor by creating a thermally conductive bond. A first set of fasteners of the plurality of fasteners may each have a bolt and extend through both the top and bottom walls of the cooling body using bores of a first subset of the plurality of bores and threaded to mate with motor bores located in the housing or bottom of the stator of the electric motor, a first set of the plurality of bores being concentric with the plurality of motor bores of the electric motor and having the same diameter. is. A first set of fasteners or a second set of fasteners of the plurality of fasteners extends through the cooling plate assembly and attaches the cooling plate assembly to the support bracket, elongated support arm, support armature or fuselage. can be attached to one or more of the A second set of fasteners can each have a bolt, extend through the bottom wall of the cooling body but not the top wall, have threads, and can be threaded into one of the hub wall or the cooling body. or may be threaded to mate with a second subset of the plurality of bores having a plurality of internally terminating blind bores. Each of the plurality of fasteners can have a thermally conductive material.

According to an aspect of the invention, the cooling plate can include an aperture wall having an outer surface surrounding and defining a passage aperture dimensioned and positioned to allow the electrical wires to pass through the cooling plate apparatus, the aperture wall comprising: , the internal fluid cavity is isolated from the passage opening, the internal surface of the opening wall further defines the internal fluid cavity, and the wires connect the electric motor or motor sensor to one or more of the power generation source subsystem or the diagnostic subsystem. Having power lines or signal lines for connecting.

According to aspects of the invention, the inner surface of the hub wall can abut the inner surface of the partition wall. The inner surface of the hub wall can also abut the inner surface of the aperture wall.

According to aspects of the invention, the top wall of the cooling plate apparatus can be parallel to the bottom wall. The hub wall and the perimeter wall can be circular in cross-section, the top and bottom walls can each have circular perimeters, and the hub wall can be concentric with the perimeter wall. The hub wall and the perimeter wall can each have a wall thickness that is less than the maximum/outer radius of the cooling plate apparatus while the hub wall is concentric with the perimeter wall.
The hub wall, the perimeter wall, the partition wall and the aperture wall may each have an axial height of the offset axial distance between the top wall and the bottom wall, each being perpendicular to the top surface of the bottom plate. , each at a perpendicular angle to the bottom surface of the top plate. The inner surface of the hub wall abuts the inner surface of the perimeter wall, the partition wall and the opening wall.

According to aspects of the invention, the cooling plate apparatus may include a fluid inlet for receiving fluid coolant into an internal fluid cavity, the internal fluid cavity channeling the fluid coolant about a central axis of the cooling plate apparatus. The dividing wall is shaped to transport and distribute fluid coolant out of the fluid outlet and prevents fluid coolant entering the fluid inlet from being mixed with fluid exiting the fluid outlet. The cooling capacity can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the coolant. Cooling capacity can also be adjusted by selecting a particular fluid coolant or coolant medium (eg, using water rather than oil or other fluid coolant).

According to aspects of the invention, the cooling plate comprises a fluid coolant that circulates heat generated by the electric motor by convection, radiation, and/or conduction from the electric motor through the cooling body and then within the internal fluid cavity. It may be the heat sink of the electric motor that transmits to or discharges to the external environment around the cold plate apparatus. The thermally conductive material of the cooling plate apparatus can include thermally conductive alloys. The thermally conductive alloy can be one of titanium, aluminum, or combinations thereof.

According to aspects of the invention, the first portion of the cooling body, including the top wall, is machinable from a first piece of heat transfer alloy and the bottom wall is machinable from a second piece of heat transfer alloy. The first portion is then secured to the second portion of the cooling body. The bottom wall of the cooling body and/or the top wall of the cooling body may further have one or more connecting structures for fitting the bottom wall to the top wall. The first portion can be secured to the second portion of the cooling body using a third set of fasteners, each having bolts through the bottom wall of the cooling body but not the top wall. to mate with a third subset of the plurality of bores having blind bores that extend into and have threads and terminate on the inside of one or more of the peripheral wall, the hub wall, or the cooling body can be screwed. The cooling body has a first portion and a second portion both constructed from a thermally conductive alloy including aluminum, the first portion coupled to the second portion and the second portion defining a fluid cavity. A gasket that has a concave cavity that it creates and that creates a fluid seal is inserted between the first portion and the second portion when the first portion is coupled to the second portion. In alternate exemplary embodiments, the cooling plate apparatus can be formed as a single piece from a thermally conductive alloy using three-dimensional (3D) printing tools or techniques. The entire cooling body can be 3D printed as a solid from aluminum, titanium, or other 3D printing materials known in the art, and has a single solid exterior form and a hollow interior, otherwise: It includes the main elements, components and features described herein.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a first subset of the plurality of bores are arranged in or through the hub wall at an equiradial distance from the central axis of the cooling plate apparatus, centering each bore of the first subset. They can be evenly spaced with equidistant distances between the axes and central axes of adjacent bores of the first subset of the plurality of bores. A fourth subset of the plurality of bores in the cooling plate may include conduit bores configured to connect fluid conduits or wires and their connections to the electric motor, depending on the interface design of the particular electric motor. can.

According to aspects of the invention, the internal fluid cavity can contain and circulate a fluid coolant, which can be a liquid coolant or a phase change fluid. The internal fluid cavity can contain and circulate a liquid coolant, including water or antifreeze (eg, a combination, mixture or solution of water and ethylene glycol), or oil. The cooling plate apparatus provides cooling by using one or more high pressure lines or fluid conduits removably connected to the cooling plate and in fluid communication with the cooling plate via fluid inlet fittings or fluid outlet fittings. It can be in fluid communication with one or more of a coolant pump, a coolant reservoir, a coolant junction, a coolant outlet or a coolant inlet. The cooling plate assembly can be in fluid communication with a cooling system or fluid circulation system of the electric motor, wherein heated fluid coolant from the electric motor is circulated through the cooling plate assembly using the internal fluid cavities; Thermal energy transfer using convection, radiation, and/or conduction cools the heated fluid coolant, and the cooled fluid coolant is then recirculated to the electric motor's cooling system or fluid circulation system. A cooling plate apparatus receives fluid coolant from the one or more high pressure lines or fluid conduits through a fluid inlet fitting coupling the one or more high pressure lines or fluid conduits to a fifth subset of the plurality of bores. One or more fluid inlets may be included thereby forming a fluid tight conduit through the bottom wall to the first portion of the internal fluid cavity. A cooling plate apparatus distributes fluid coolant to the one or more high pressure lines or fluid conduits through a fluid outlet fitting coupling the one or more high pressure lines or fluid conduits to a sixth subset of the plurality of bores. One or more fluid outlets may be included to form a fluid tight conduit through the bottom wall to the second portion of the internal fluid cavity. The cooling plate apparatus includes a coolant source including one or more of a coolant pump, a coolant reservoir, a coolant junction, or a coolant outlet and, at a first end, a coolant pump, a coolant reservoir. , a coolant junction, or a coolant outlet, and at a second end to an inlet of a cooling system or fluid circulation system of an electric motor using a thrulet coupling. an inlet conduit having a high pressure conduit or fluid conduit disposed through fluid conduit bores of a fourth subset of the plurality of bores in operable connection and fluid communication; a cooling system or fluid circulation system for the electric motor; An electric motor cooling system or fluid circulation system to a cooling plate arrangement, at a first end and at an outlet of the electric motor cooling system or fluid circulation system using a thrulet joint and at a second end, A first having a high pressure line or fluid conduit disposed through fluid conduit bores of a fourth subset of the plurality of bores removably connected to and in fluid communication with inlet fittings of one or more fluid inlets of the cooling body. one intermediate conduit and an internal fluid cavity of the cooling body of the cooling plate apparatus via one or more fluid inlets configured to receive a fluid coolant; Fluid circulating within the cavity and with one or more of the inner surface of the hub wall, the inner surface of the top wall, the inner surface of the bottom wall, the inner surface of the perimeter wall, the inner surface of the partition wall, the inner surface of the opening wall, or combinations thereof. a central axis of the cooling plate apparatus maintaining contact and a fluid outlet removably connected to and in fluid communication with a first end of an outlet conduit having a high pressure conduit or fluid conduit via a fluid outlet fitting; a flow of fluid coolant through the interconnected components in fluid communication with the internal fluid cavity of the cooling body of the cooling plate apparatus through the outlet conduit, the second end of the outlet conduit being disconnected to the coolant source; operably connected and in fluid communication thereby directing coolant flow from the coolant source through the inlet conduit to the cooling system or fluid circulation system of the electric motor and from the cooling system or fluid circulation system of the electric motor to the cooling plate apparatus; through the first intermediate conduit, through one or more fluid inlets, into the internal fluid cavity of the cooling body of the cooling plate apparatus, around the central axis of the cooling plate apparatus, from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. out of the internal fluid cavity through the fluid outlet through the outlet conduit through the fluid outlet fitting and back to the coolant source, conduction, An electric motor and its components are cooled by convection, radiation, thereby transporting unheated fluid coolant to the electric motor and heated coolant from the electric motor in repetitive cycles.

According to aspects of the present invention, a cooling plate apparatus can include multiple fluid inlets, multiple inlet conduits, multiple intermediate conduits, multiple fluid outlets, and multiple outlet conduits, wherein multiple fluid An inlet and a plurality of fluid outlets are each disposed within the cooling body to allow fluid to enter and exit the internal fluid cavity. The cooling plate apparatus can be further configured to generate a flow of fluid coolant through each of the plurality of inlets and the plurality of outlets.

According to aspects of the invention, the cooling plate assembly may be indirectly coupled to the cooling system of the electric motor and not in direct fluid communication. The cooling body can be interconnected with heat-conducting components of the electric motor, thereby transferring heat from the electric motor to the cooling body by surface contact and conduction using top walls, bores, and fasteners. The cooled fluid coolant can then be recirculated, and the cooling plate apparatus has one or more of coolant pumps, coolant reservoirs, coolant junctions, or coolant outlets. a coolant source having, at a first end, one or more of a coolant pump, a coolant reservoir, a coolant junction, or a coolant outlet; and at a second end, a coolant body an inlet tube having a high pressure line or fluid conduit removably connected to and in fluid communication with an inlet fitting of one or more fluid inlets of a cooling body configured to receive a fluid coolant in an internal fluid cavity of the a passageway circulating within the internal fluid cavity in a direction from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the inner surface of the hub wall, the inner surface of the top wall, the inner surface of the bottom wall, the inner surface of the peripheral wall, the inner surface of the partition wall, the inner surface of the opening wall; or a central axis of a cooling plate apparatus maintaining fluid contact with one or more of the combinations thereof and a first end of an outlet line having a high pressure line or a fluid conduit via a fluid outlet fitting. capable of producing a flow of fluid coolant through the interconnected components in fluid communication with the internal fluid cavity of the cooling body of the cooling plate apparatus via a fluid outlet removably connected and in fluid communication with the outlet pipe; A second end of the passage is removably connected to and in fluid communication with a coolant source. The cooling plate assembly thereby directs coolant flow to the cooling plate assembly from a coolant source through an inlet conduit, via one or more fluid inlets, into an internal fluid cavity of the cooling body of the cooling plate assembly, around the central axis of the cooling plate device, in the direction from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, through the outlet conduit through the fluid outlet fitting, out of the internal fluid cavity through the fluid outlet, back to the coolant source, conduction, Convection, radiation cools the electric motor and its components, thereby transporting heat from the electric motor in repetitive cycles.

According to aspects of the present invention, the cooling plate apparatus is disposed in or through the peripheral wall of a bore defining one or more of a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a fluid conduit bore, or a sensor port. It can further have a seventh subset. Wires passing through and connecting electric motors include power wires, three-phase power connectors, temperature sensors, Hall sensors, speed and position sensors, resolvers, tandem resolvers, encoders, sensors for synchronizing electrical and mechanical motor angles. , or have one or more of the sensors for controlling the position, direction, and rotational speed of the electric motor. Additional wires of electrical wire can pass through a central opening that extends through the cold plate assembly or a passage conduit for the electrical wires.

These and other features of the present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

A cold plate apparatus and related components are shown.

Figure 2 shows the cold plate arrangement and system connectivity for various related components of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the electric motor and cooling plate arrangement;

Fig. 3 shows a top view of the cooling plate apparatus;

Fig. 3 shows a top view of the cooling plate apparatus;

1 shows front, cross-sectional, and rear views of components of an electric motor and cooling plate; FIG.

1 shows front, cross-sectional, and rear views of components of an electric motor and cooling plate; FIG.

FIG. 1 shows front, cross-sectional, and rear views of a number of electric motor sizes and components of electric motors and cooling plates.

1 shows various views of an electric motor and cooling plate joints and electrical connections; FIG.

1 shows various views of an electric motor and cooling plate joints and electrical connections; FIG.

1A-1D show various side cross-sectional views of an electric motor and cooling plate joints and electrical connections;

3A and 3B show various side cross-sectional views of an electric motor and cooling plate joints and cooling vectors;

2 shows a cooling plate joint in detail.

1 shows electrical wiring components within the cold plate apparatus.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary detailed view of electrical connections and fluid conduit components;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary detailed view of electrical wiring and fluid conduit components;

1 shows an exemplary system block diagram for implementing the present invention, including logic for controlling an integrated system for multi-mode thermal energy transfer and associated components; FIG. 1 shows an exemplary system block diagram for implementing the present invention, including logic for controlling an integrated system for multi-mode thermal energy transfer and associated components; FIG. 1 shows an exemplary system block diagram for implementing the present invention, including logic for controlling an integrated system for multi-mode thermal energy transfer and associated components; FIG. 1 shows an exemplary system block diagram for implementing the present invention, including logic for controlling an integrated system for multi-mode thermal energy transfer and associated components; FIG.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary system diagram of the electrical and system connectivity of various control interface components of the system of the present invention;

1 illustrates an example configuration of a fuel cell in a multirotor aircraft and example subcomponents of the fuel cell in at least one fuel cell module in the multirotor aircraft.

1 shows an example of a control panel, scales and sensor outputs for a multi-rotor aircraft.

1 illustrates a profile diagram of a multi-rotor aircraft showing example locations of fuel delivery system components and power generation subsystems and cooling plates within the multi-rotor aircraft; FIG.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary diagram of the configuration of the heat transfer and exchange source components of the power generation subsystem in a multi-rotor aircraft, and shows two diagrams showing the locations and compartments housing the fuel supply and power generation subsystems showing the fluid coolant conduits; .

1 shows a side view and a top view of a multi-rotor aircraft having six rotors cantilevered from the frame of the multi-rotor aircraft, in locations and compartments housing fuel supply and power generation subsystems, according to embodiments of the present invention; FIG. Fig. 3 shows the electrical and system connectivity of various fueling, power generation, and motor control components of the system of the invention;

1 shows an exemplary view of a fuel tank, a fuel cell, a radiator, a heat exchanger, and an air conditioning component, as well as interrelated conduits for heat transfer between the components; FIG.

1 shows a flowchart illustrating the present invention, according to one exemplary embodiment.

Although specific exemplary embodiments will now be described to provide a general understanding, the systems and methods described herein are intended to provide systems and methods for other suitable applications. can be adapted and modified, and other additions and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the systems and methods described herein. Specifically, the systems and methods described herein can provide an effective heat path to the internal heat generating regions of an electric motor, whether the rotor or stator, depending on the mechanics of the particular electric motor design. , in-runner as well as out-runner style electric motors.

Unless otherwise stated, the illustrated embodiments can be understood as providing exemplary features of various details of the particular embodiment, and thus unless stated otherwise, the features, components, modules and/or Aspects may be combined, separated, interchanged, and/or rearranged in other ways without departing from the disclosed system or method.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention process and circulate a fluid coolant and have a cooling body that includes multiple bores, openings and internal chambers that work together to function as a heat sink device. It relates to a cooling plate apparatus with improved efficiency for components. The present invention interconnects with the cooling system of an electric motor and functions cooperatively to transfer thermal energy from the electric motor using the principles of thermodynamics including conduction, convection and radiation for further processing. The heated fluid coolant can be transported from the heated motor component to other components of the vehicle and then the cooled fluid coolant can be returned to the cooling system of the electric motor. The design of the components of the cooling plate apparatus is a space-saving design formed from a single piece or minimal pieces while increasing surface contact with the components used to establish the preferred rate and vector of heat transfer. , effectively partitioning the heated fluid coolant, cooled fluid coolant, and electrical circuits within an isolated dedicated compartment of the device that prevents the intrusion of other fluids, reducing failure modes and ensuring proper aerodynamics Improve robustness and reliability by reducing the number of fasteners or connections required while maintaining properties. The cold plate apparatus may be computer aided design (CAD) based, electron beam or selective laser melting, direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), powder bed melting, gas metal arc welding 3D printing, or as known in the art. It may be formed as a single part from the thermally conductive alloy using three-dimensional printing tools or techniques, including by additive manufacturing using other processes known in the art.

Cooling plate apparatus, methods and systems can be used in full-scale, such as vehicles described in U.S. Pat. It can be integrated into clean-fuel electric multi-rotor aircraft. The one or more fuel cell modules of the integrated system function individually in parallel or in series, but in conjunction with multiple modules for processing gaseous oxygen and gaseous hydrogen extracted from liquid hydrogen by heat exchangers. using an electrical circuit having a fuel cell and configured to collect electrons from a plurality of hydrogen fuel cells to control the voltage and torque, or the amount and distribution of current, to each of a plurality of motor and propeller assemblies; It supplies voltage and current to a motor controller commanded by an autopilot control unit configured to select and control. Lift and propulsion are provided by a pair of small AC or DC brushless electric motors that each drive a pair of directly connected counter-rotating propellers, also called rotors. Using contra-rotating propellers for each pair of motors cancels out the torque that would otherwise be produced by rotational inertia. Excess or waste heat must be removed or dissipated in fuel cell modules, motors, motor controllers, batteries, circuit boards, and other electronic equipment. The integrated system is comprised of at least a power generation subsystem having one or more radiators in fluid communication with one or more fuel cell modules configured to store and transport coolant, and a plurality of fluid conduits. a thermal energy control subsystem having a heat exchanger with a The integrated system also includes a fuel delivery subsystem having a fuel reservoir in fluid communication with the one or more fuel cell modules and configured to store and transport fuel such as liquid hydrogen, gaseous hydrogen, or similar fluids. can be provided. When powered by one or more fuel cell modules to produce voltage and current, the electronics monitor and control the generation of electricity and excess heat or thermal energy, and the motor controller then: Controls that include automated computer monitoring, or motor management computers, through a single or redundant digital autopilot control unit (autopilot computer) programmed to control the commanded voltage and current to each motor and to measure its performance The system is used to control each motor controller and motor to produce pitch, bank, yaw and elevation angles, as well as control cooling and heating while simultaneously measuring, calculating and adjusting the temperature and heat transfer of aircraft components. Parametric and thermodynamic operating conditions, valves and pumps are controlled simultaneously to protect motors, fuel cells and other critical components from exceeding operating parameters. One or more temperature sensing devices or thermal energy sensing devices calculate a temperature adjustment protocol having one or more priorities for energy transfer using one or more thermal criteria; using an autopilot control unit having a computer processor configured to select and control the amount and distribution of thermal energy transfer from one or more sources to one or more thermal energy destinations based on to measure thermodynamic operating conditions.

1-25, wherein like parts are designated with like reference numerals throughout, illustrate one or more exemplary lightweight, highly efficient fault tolerant cold plate apparatus, methods and systems according to the present invention. 1 shows an embodiment. While the invention will be described with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments shown in the figures, it should be understood that many alternative forms may embody the invention. Those skilled in the art will further appreciate various ways for modifying parameters of the disclosed embodiments, such as size, shape, or type of elements or materials, in a manner still consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention. Will.

1 and 2 illustrate exemplary embodiments of a cold plate apparatus 100 and system connectivity for various associated components of the present invention. The cold plate assembly 100 is preferred so that the cold plate assembly 100 can serve as a heat sink and structural support for one or more electric motors 126 without compromising the positioning or aerodynamics of the on-board electric motors 126. It incorporates a cooling body 102 of aerodynamic design and construction constructed from a high strength thermally conductive material. The cooling body 102 is constructed so that it can be placed in an intervening position between one or more mounting brackets and one or more electric motors 126, using standard motor fasteners of the same diameter and configuration (e.g., screw (including thread type, lead, angle, pitch, start point, depth, major diameter, minor diameter, or taper for threaded fasteners); The same alignment method that was used for the motor and support bracket only can be continued to fit the motor 126, cooling plate assembly 100, and support bracket. The cold plate assembly 100 is shaped to meet several different motor types and diameters, and includes a plurality of bores 120 aligned with one or more motor bores 134 present in a standard original manufacturing motor 126. have. The cooling body 102 is passed through, for example, a mounting bracket connected to an elongated support arm 1004 (eg, in a vehicle such as the aircraft 1000 ) and then inserted into or through one or more of the plurality of bores 120 . and then optionally inserting or securing fasteners 122 through one or more motors 126 by threading into or otherwise connecting to one or more motor bores 134 . can be connected to the body of the motor 126 by . Motor 126 is then configured such that attachment of cooling body 102 (eg, to stator 130 , frame or body of motor 126 ) rotates rotor 132 , motor shaft 128 , and one or more propellers or rotors 1006 . can be connected or coupled to one or more propellers or rotors 1006 so as not to interfere with the function of the In the exemplary embodiment, the cooling body 102 has a top wall 104 , a bottom wall 106 , and a perimeter wall 110 , each interior surface of which extends indirectly through the surface and components including the cooling body 102 and onto the motor 126 . or directly coupled to the motor 126 and in fluid communication with its own internal cooling system to perform heat transfer to dissipate or remove excess heat or waste heat or thermal energy generated by the motor 126. defines an internal fluid cavity 116 constructed to circulate a fluid coolant 118 that may be used to. When indirectly coupled to the cooling system of motor 126 , cold plate assembly 100 interconnects cooling body 102 and heat transfer components of motor 126 , including the base, stator 130 , frame, or body of motor 126 . , thereby transferring heat from the motor 126 to the cooling body 102 by surface contact and contact between the bores ( 120 , 134 ) and the fastener 122 . When coupled directly to the cooling system of electric motor 126, cold plate apparatus 100 includes motor 126 and cooling source 1010 or heat transfer or management system 1010 (e.g., radiator, heat sink, or heat exchanger) used with motor 126. ) to interconnect the flow of fluid coolant 118 to and from the motor 126 . Coolant 102 and motor 126 are fitted to fluid conduit 142 or high pressure line and secured thereto by any number of methods known in the art (e.g., clamping, locking, friction, adhesives, etc.). A fluid coolant 118 that can be attached to the cooling body 102 using one or more fluid inlet fittings 146, one or more fluid outlet fittings 150, or one or more thrulet fittings 152 that connect may be interconnected in fluid communication using several fluid conduits 142 or high pressure lines that supply or remove the . Throughlet coupling 152 is designed to bypass fluid coolant 118 to motor 126 without exposing the fluid to the interior of cooling body 102 while maintaining contact with cooling body 102 for thermodynamic transfer purposes. , constructed and placed. In the exemplary embodiment, the cooling plate assembly 100 has a central opening extending through the cooling plate assembly 100 aligned with the central opening 124 of the electric motor 126 through which the motor shaft 128 or wires 140 may pass or be accessed. A section 124 is provided. Importantly, the cooling body 102 isolates the internal fluid cavity 116 from the central opening 124 , one of the plurality of bores 120 , or electrical wires 140 passing through and connecting the electric motor 126 . constructed to secure or guide electrical wire 140 through the periphery of cooling body 102 without contacting electrical wire 140 within cooling body 102 or with fluid coolant 118 using a pass-through conduit defined by open wall 114 of the cooling body 102 . can. The walls and components of the cooling plate apparatus 100 can be securely attached or mated using a plurality of fasteners 122 configured to fit a subset of the plurality of bores 120 within the cooling body 102 . The interconnection of the components described herein allows the electric motor 126 to operate independently of whether the electric motor 126 has any internal fluid cooling ports for providing fluid communication or is cooled by other means. of cooling. In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the cooling plate apparatus, as the first portion and the second portion, can both be formed from a thermally conductive alloy using a three-dimensional (3D) printing tool, the bottom wall of the cooling body and/or the top wall of the cooling body further comprises one or more connecting structures for fitting the bottom wall to the top wall. The one or more connecting structures can be formed during three-dimensional (3D) printing of the first portion and the second portion or attached thereafter, the one or more connecting structures comprising: struts; Slots, ribs, pegs, hooks, fins, lips, contours, fingers, tabs, press fits, snap fits, threads, protrusions, molded recesses, combinations thereof, or similar known in the art You can have one or more generic coupling devices and components that include coupling structures. In alternate embodiments, the cooling body is subdivided into various numbers of components that mate, couple, interconnect or interlock to facilitate machining or 3D printing, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. obtain. A key aspect is the use of components described to support a variety of loads to form a rigid structure while creating internal fluid cavities that are liquid tight and capable of heat transfer.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary embodiment of electric motor 126 coupled or mated to top wall 104 of cold plate assembly 100 . Fasteners 122 pass through a subset of the plurality of bores 120 and secure the cooling body 102 to the motor 126 by threading into a subset of the motor bores 134 adjacent the stator 130 and the shaft where the rotor 132 is aligned with the central opening 124. Allows to rotate around 128. A hub wall 108 inserted between the top wall 104 and the bottom wall 106 around the central opening 124 of the cooling body 102 allows the fasteners 122 to pass through the thickness of the hub wall 108 and to the internal fluid cavity 116 . A portion of the internal fluid cavity 116 is isolated from the exterior of the cooling body 102 and fasteners are provided so that heat or thermal energy can be transferred or transmitted from the interior through the surface of the hub wall 108 while remaining isolated from fluid contact with the 122 has a subset of bore 120 for securing cooling body 102 to motor 126 . In the exemplary embodiment, the interior of the cooling body 102 separates portions of the internal fluid cavity 116, and around the inner surfaces of the hub wall 108 and the aperture wall 114, and within the inner surface of the peripheral wall 110, one or more To allow directional flow through the internal fluid cavity 116 from the fluid inlet 144 to one or more fluid outlets 148 that allow fluid to pass from the interior of the cooling body 102 to the exterior. at least one partition wall 112 interposed between the top wall 104 and the bottom wall 106, configured as follows. In addition, one or more of the peripheral wall bores 154, most often through the use of internal fluid cavities 116 or fasteners 122, are used to secure the components of the cooling plate apparatus 100 to each other. One or more fluid inlets 144 may be provided with one or more fluid outlets 148 for multiple conduit bores 138 or blind bores 136 . Alternative embodiments locate fluid inlet 144, fluid outlet 148 or bore 120 in others, such as top wall 104, bottom wall 106, hub wall 108 or aperture wall 114, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. obtain.

4 and 5 illustrate one or more fluid inlets 144 for receiving fluid coolant 118 in a first portion of internal fluid cavity 116, one for dispensing fluid coolant from a second portion of internal fluid cavity 116. or further defining a plurality of fluid outlets 148 and one or more fluid conduit bores 138 that isolate fluid coolant entering electric motor 126 through one or more fluid conduits 142 from interior fluid cavity 116 . Cooling plate showing an exemplary embodiment in which fluid inlet 144 and fluid outlet 148 are positioned on opposite sides of partition wall 112 to facilitate flow through internal fluid cavity 116 using a subset of bores 120 of An exemplary top view of the device 100 is shown. In this exemplary embodiment, the two conduits are arranged such that the centers of each of the subsets of bores 120 are equidistant from the central axis of central opening 124 and/or the outer surface of hub wall 108 and are equidistant from each other. A subset of the plurality of bores 120 , including bore 138 , extend through hub wall 108 of cooling body 102 in a circular or annular configuration offset from the outer surface of hub wall 108 defining central opening 124 . The placement of bore 120 may be varied to accommodate motor bore 138, shaft 128, fastener 122, conduit, wire 140, partition wall 112, aperture wall 114, passage conduit, etc., as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

6 and 7 show examples of illustrative diagrams presenting front, cross-sectional and rear views of the electric motor and cooling plate components. In the exemplary embodiment, the cooling body 102 of the cooling plate apparatus 100 is constructed, configured and arranged such that the central opening 124 is aligned with the motor shaft 128 of each type of motor 126 . Conduit bores 138 located in the hub wall 108 are aligned with corresponding motor bores 134 containing the inlet and outlet of the motor's internal cooling system, and the insertion of an optional thrulet fitting 152 through the cooling body 102 and into the motor 126. and allow mounting. The pass-through conduit defined by the aperture wall 114 is aligned with an electrical terminal, connector, joint, or wire 140 extending from the motor 126 so that the aperture wall 114 surrounds the wire 140 passing through the pass-through conduit. , protect, while isolating these wires 140 from the interior of the cooling body 102 for purposes including installation, removal, inspection, maintenance, and replacement; enable access. The plurality of motors 126 and propeller 1006 motors in the preferred embodiment are brushless synchronous 3-phase AC or DC motors that are air and/or liquid cooled, operable as aircraft motors. Since the motor and fuel cell module 18 generate excess or waste heat from forces including electrical resistance and friction, this heat can be subject to management and thermal energy transfer. In one embodiment, the motor is connected to a separate cooling loop or circuit from the fuel cell module 18 . In another embodiment, the motor is connected to a shared cooling loop or circuit with fuel cell module 18 .

8 and 9 illustrate various exemplary fittings and electrical connections or wiring 140 of electric motor 126 and cooling plate apparatus 100 corresponding to alternative electric motor sizes, configurations, and subcomponents including support brackets. shows a diagram. The techniques described herein may be applied to any of the present electric motors of interest, whether intended to be air-cooled, liquid-cooled, or a combination thereof. In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention is interconnected with an Emrax model 268 very high mechanical load, liquid-cooled axial flux synchronous permanent magnet sinusoidal three-phase motor/generator. 10 and 11 show cross-sectional and cut-away views of the electric motor 126, bores 120, 134, cooling plate fittings 146, 150, 152, and electrical connections or wiring 140 corresponding to FIGS. , fasteners 122 and electrical connectors or wiring 140 are attached or screwed to the component.

FIG. 12 illustrates exemplary embodiment cooling vectors associated with radiant heat dissipation and circulation of fluid coolant 118 to manage the operating temperature of electric motor 126 , bores 120 , 134 , and 126 . FIG. 15 illustrates an example illustration of a cut-away cross-sectional view of a cooling plate joint 152. FIG.

FIG. 13 shows an exemplary view of the cooling plate joints 146, 150, 152 in detail. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various fittings known in the industry may be used to secure the fluid conduit 142 and the high pressure line. In the exemplary embodiment, the component joints of the subcomponents have NPT joints as shown. These joints may include straight joints or joints with vertical (90 degree) angles aligned along an axis along which fluid conduit 142 and high pressure line 142 are fitted.

FIG. 14 shows a detailed view of one example of the electrical wiring 140 components of the cold plate apparatus 100 including the standard phase connectors 140 . Electrical wiring 140 may include temperature sensors or Hall sensors used to monitor operating conditions of motor 126 . In alternate embodiments, the phase connectors 140 may be duplicated and wired in parallel. For motor control of multiple motors and propeller 1006, there are three phases connecting to each motor from each high current controller for synchronous AC or DC brushless motors. Reversing the position of any two of the three phases will drive the motor in the opposite direction. Alternatively, within the motor controller, there are software settings that allow the same effect, but also reverse pitch for motors designated to run in opposite directions (these are left and right pitch, or pullers (usually ) and pusher (reversing) pitch propellers) are preferably hard-wired, thereby forming a plurality of motors and propellers 1006 . Operating the motors in a counter-rotating pair cancels the rotational torque that would otherwise tend to rotate the vehicle. Figures 15 and 16 show examples of additional details of electrical connections, electrical wiring, and fluid conduit components. Wires 140 passing through and connecting electric motor 126 include power wires, three-phase power connectors, temperature sensors, hall sensors, speed and position sensors, resolvers, tandem resolvers, encoders, electrical and mechanical motor angle synchronization. or one or more of the sensors for controlling the position, direction and rotational speed of the electric motor, and the additional wires of the wires 140 are for the cooling plate apparatus 100 or the wires 140. It passes through a central opening 124 that extends through the passage conduit. In an exemplary embodiment, a UVW-type 3-phase power connector can be used, but in an alternative embodiment, the 3-phase power connector has two motor hall sensors (HS) with one motor hall sensor (HS) attached to the electric motor 126. To use the controller, one sequence may have 2 phase connectors (2 UVW types) with 3 phase connectors and 2 phase with 6 connectors. Most controllers use sensors to control the position, direction, and rotational speed of motor 126 . Sensor types that can be used include resolvers, encoders, or Hall sensors implemented using auto-tuning (synchronization of electrical and mechanical motor angles) and controller software presets. In an exemplary embodiment, the resolver can be of type LTN RE-15-1-A15 for Unitech controllers, or TLTN RE-15-1-A15 for tandem resolvers for two Unitech controllers. In alternative embodiments, the encoder may be of type RLS RM44SC (SSI) for emsiso controllers or RLS RM44AC (sin-cos) for sevcon controllers. Instead of a resolver/encoder, Hall sensors can be used to control the direction, position, and rotational speed of electric motor 126 . Hall sensors can be SS411P type. In an exemplary embodiment, a temperature sensor mounted in or near the controller is connected to the controller. This sensor protects the motor 126 from overload. It is important to allow adequate cooling of the motor 126 at all times. An exemplary standard temperature sensor attached to the motor 126 is the KTY81-210. Temperature can also be measured with a thermal camera and can be enhanced using a fluid coolant pressure sensor.

Figures 17A, 17B, 17C, and 17D are block diagrams of one type of system that can be used to practice the present invention, including the logic that controls the integrated system for thermal energy transfer and related components. format. Here, personal air vehicle (PAV) or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) power generation management includes motor and propeller assembly 1006, primary flight display 1008, cooling source 1010, or thermal energy control subsystem 1010, broadcast automatic slave monitoring ( ADSB) transmitter/receiver, typically an on-board Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, fuel gauge, air data computer 38 for calculating airspeed and vertical speed, and a redundant flight computer (autopilot (also called a computer) and other on-board equipment. All of the foregoing monitoring monitors the operation and position of the aircraft 1000 or monitors and controls the power generation and fueling subsystems that produce hydrogen-powered fuel cell-based electricity to monitor the operation and altitude of these systems. , attitude, ground speed, position, local terrain, recommended flight path, weather data, remaining fuel and flight time, motor voltage and current state, intended destination, and anything else necessary to successfully complete a safe flight. provides display presentations representing various aspects of aircraft 1000 status data, such as information about In the exemplary embodiment, the mission control tablet computer or sidearm controller communicates the specified route or position command set or intended motion to be achieved with the autopilot computer 32 and voter 42, the motor controller 24, and the air It can be sent to an air data computer for calculating velocity and vertical velocity 38 . Fuel tanks, avionics batteries, fuel pumps and cooling systems, and starters/alternators may also be included, monitored, and controlled in some embodiments. All fuel cells are powered by on-board fuel tanks and use that fuel to generate power for the multi-rotor aircraft 1000 . A fuel cell-based power generation subsystem combines stored hydrogen with compressed air to produce electricity with water and heat-only by-products, thereby forming a fuel cell module that can also include fuel pumps and cooling systems. do. The system includes at least the following systems and components: 1) flight control hardware, 2) flight control software, 3) flight control testing, 4) motor control and power distribution subsystems, 5) motors, 6) fuel cell power generation subsystems. Implement pre-engineered fault tolerance or graceful degradation that yields predictable behavior during abnormal conditions. The multiple motor controllers may be high voltage, high current liquid cooled or air cooled controllers. The system includes a mission planning computer, including software, with wired or wireless (RF) connections to one or more autopilot control units, and collision avoidance, traffic, emergency detection, and weather detection between clean fuel aircraft 1000 and clean fuel aircraft 1000. It further comprises a wireless or hardwired ADSB unit that provides information to the software. One or more autopilot control units with computer processors and input/output interfaces include serial RS232, controller area network (CAN), Ethernet, analog voltage input, analog voltage output, pulse width for motor control It may have at least one of an interface selected from a modulated output, a built-in or stand-alone air data computer, a built-in or stand-alone inertial measurement device. The one or more autopilot control units may operate control algorithms to generate commands for each of the plurality of motor controllers, manage and maintain clean fuel aircraft multi-rotor aircraft stability, and monitor feedback. . The method repeatedly measures operating conditions of a multirotor aircraft using one or more temperature sensing devices or thermal energy sensing devices, and then uses data from one or more fuel cell modules to compare, The steps of calculating, selecting, controlling and executing can be performed to repeatedly manage the generation and delivery of voltage and current or torque by one or more fuel cell modules and the operating conditions of the multi-rotor aircraft. Autopilot also measures other vehicle state information such as pitch, bank angle, yaw and acceleration, and uses its own internal sensors and available data to help keep the vehicle stable.

The command interface between the autopilot and multiple motor controllers varies from instrument set to variable DC voltage, variable resistance, CAN, Ethernet or other serial network commands, RS-232 or other serial data Signaling options to each motor controller, such as commands, or other interface standards that may be sent in PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), serial pulse stream, or electrical (fly-by-wire) or optical (fly-by-light) formats, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. may be accompanied by Control algorithms running within the autopilot computer perform the necessary state analysis, comparisons and generate resulting commands to the individual motor controllers to monitor the resulting vehicle state and stability. Electrical energy for operating the vehicle is derived from the fuel cell module, which provides voltage and current to the motor controller through optional high current diodes or field effect transistors (FETs) and circuit breakers. Each motor controller individually manages the voltage and current required to achieve the desired thrust by controlling the motors in either RPM mode or torque mode, controlling the amount of thrust by each motor and propeller/rotor combination. enable generation. The number of motor controllers and motor/propeller combinations per vehicle is as low as 4 to 16, depending on vehicle architecture, desired payload (weight), fuel capacity, electric motor size, weight, power, and vehicle construction It can be more than that.

FIG. 18 is an exemplary system diagram of the electrical and system connectivity for various control interface components of the system of the present invention, including the logic that controls power (voltage and current) generation, distribution, regulation, and monitoring. indicates The motor pairs of the plurality of motors 126 and propeller 1006 are commanded to operate at different RPM or torque settings (determined by whether the autopilot is controlling the motors in RPM or torque mode) and autopilot control To generate slightly different amounts of thrust from the counter-rotating motor and propeller 1006 pair below, and thus maintain a stable flight attitude, position feedback from the autopilot's 6-axis built-in sensors or remote inertial sensors is used. It is used to impart to aircraft 1000 a pitch moment, or bank moment, or yaw moment, or altitude change, or lateral movement, or longitudinal movement, or any combination of the above simultaneously. The sensor data is read by each autopilot, its physical movement and speed of movement are evaluated, and then compared to the commanded movement in all three dimensions to evaluate the new movement commands needed. . Depending on the equipment and protocols involved in an exemplary embodiment, the sequence of commands may be, for example, pulses varying between 1.0-2.0 ms contained within 10-30 ms "frames". It may be transmitted using a repeating series of servo control pulses carrying specified command information, expressed in width. In this manner, multiple channels of command information are multiplexed into a single serial pulse stream within each frame. The RPM of the motor is determined by the duration of the pulses applied to the control lines. In another embodiment, motor commands may be sent digitally from the autopilot to motor controller 24, and status and/or feedback may be sent via Ethernet, one of many available digital data buses applicable. can be returned from the motor controller 24 to the autopilot using a digital data bus such as T.T. or CAN (controller area network).

In a preferred control embodiment, the commanded vehicle movement and engine or motor rpm commands can also be embodied by a pair of joystick or sidearm controllers, the joystick/sidearm controller reading a signal indicating the commanded motion. provide a value (potentiometer, Hall effect sensor, or rotary variable differential transformer (RVDT)), the reading is then converted into an appropriate message format and sent to the autopilot computer 32 by network command or signal; It can thereby be used by the autopilot to control multiple motor controllers, motors and propeller/rotors 1006 . A sidearm controller or joystick can also be embodied in a "steering wheel" or control stick that allows side-to-side and fore-aft movement, while a two-axis joystick or control stick provides pitch commands (nose up or nose down) and It provides two independent sets of single or dual redundant variable voltage or potentiometer settings to indicate bank commands (left up or left down). Alternatively, instead of pitch and roll motion, the autopilot can also "go left," "go right," while the autopilot simultaneously maintains the vehicle in a stable, level, or near-level position. It could generate the commands "go to", "forward", "go backward", "yaw left" or "yaw right". This latter control means provides more comfort to the passengers as it resembles the movement of a ground vehicle (such as a car) rather than a flying vehicle such as a winged aircraft.

Combined with the avionics, instrumentation, and display of the aircraft's 1000 current and intended positions, the suite of instruments allows the operator to navigate in-vehicle, on the ground via a data link, or by pre-planned route assignment. Any of the autonomous operations can simply and safely operate the aircraft 1000 and guide it to its intended destination. The electrical operating characteristics/data of each motor are controlled and communicated to a voting system for analysis and decision making. Communication to the motor controller 24 is via CAN, a digital network protocol with fiber optic transceivers installed in-line (in this embodiment) to protect signal integrity between the autopilot and the motor controller 24. takes place in between. The flight control hardware may, for example, have a redundant set of flight controllers with processors, each with three accelerometers, three gyros, three magnetometers, two barometers, and at least one GPS device. , but the exact combination and configuration of hardware and software devices may vary. Measured parameters related to motor performance include motor temperature, IGBT temperature, voltage, current, torque, and revolutions per minute (RPM). The values of these parameters correlate to the expected thrust under given atmospheric, power and pitch conditions.

The fuel cell control system may have varying numbers of fuel cells based on specific usage configurations, for example, a set of three hydrogen fuel cells configured for fault tolerance. One or more flight control algorithms stored within the autopilot control and monitor the power supplied from the fuel cell via CAN. A triple modular redundant autopilot can detect the loss of any one fuel cell and reconfigure the remaining fuel cells using the interconnection topology so that the fuel cell system can perform safe descents and landings. to ensure that aircraft 1000 can continue to operate.

The combination of the avionics display system coupled with the ADSB capability allows the multirotor aircraft 1000 to receive broadcast data from other nearby aircraft, thereby allowing the multirotor aircraft 1000 to avoid close encounters with other aircraft. and to broadcast own position data to avoid close encounters with other cooperating aircraft, for display to pilots, and for use in avionics display systems within multirotor aircraft 1000. to enable operation of the multi-rotor aircraft 1000 with little or no interaction or communication with air traffic controllers; Perform calculations for flight path optimization based on conditions, cooperating aircraft conditions, and available flight path dynamics, thus providing optimal or near-optimal travel from origin to destination It is possible to realize a suitable flight path.

FIG. 19 illustrates an example configuration of components within multirotor aircraft 1000 , including fuel cell subcomponents within at least one fuel cell module within a power generation subsystem within multirotor aircraft 1000 . In one embodiment, an aviation fuel cell module may include one or more hydrogen-powered fuel cells, each hydrogen-powered fuel cell containing gaseous hydrogen ( _GH2 ) or liquid hydrogen ₍ LH2), integrated multifunctional stack endplate with manifold, air filter, blower, airflow meter, fuel supply assembly, recirculation pump, coolant pump, fuel cell control, sensor, endplate, at least one gas diffusion layer (GDL), at least one two membrane electrolyte assemblies, anode and cathode volumes on either side of the proton exchange membrane of the membrane electrolyte assembly with backing layer and catalyst layer, at least one flow field plate, fluid coolant conduit 142, connection or junction, hydrogen inlet, cooling Coolant conduits connected to and in fluid communication with the coolant inlet, coolant outlet, one or more air-driven turbochargers, and one or more fuel cell modules to transport the fluid coolant 118, an integrated wiring harness , fueled by integrated electronics and controls. The integrated electronics and controller may act as a fuel cell module temperature sensor or thermal energy sensor, they may also be integrated into the fuel cell module's heat transfer infrastructure architecture, thus generating Excess heat generated can be kept away from electronics and controls to promote more efficient operation and reduce overheating. The aviation fuel cell module may further be composed of aerospace lightweight metal fuel cell components. In an exemplary embodiment, the fuel cell module 18 has dimensions of 72 x 12 x 24 inches (L x H x W) (182.88 x 30.48 x 60.96 centimeters) and a mass of less than 120 kg. The configuration can generate 120 kW of power. One or more fuel cell modules combine hydrogen from the fuel tank with air to provide voltage and current. Fuel cell vessels and piping are designed to ASME and DOT codes for relevant pressures and temperatures.

FIG. 20 shows an example of control panels, scales, and sensor outputs for a multirotor aircraft. In an exemplary embodiment, the motion analysis and control algorithms described herein are executed by an on-board autopilot computer, and flight paths and other useful data are collected from clean-fuel VTOL aircraft operating conditions, control panels, metering Presented on an avionics display can include a simplified computer and display with standard avionics configuration used to monitor and display instrument and sensor output. In one exemplary embodiment, coolant temperature and respective fuel cell module (bottom) and weather data (right half) and sky highway data derived from electronically connected sensors including temperature sensors. (left half) shows a display presentation that may be provided to indicate fuel cell operating conditions including fuel level, fuel cell temperature and motor performance associated with each of the (left half). Also shown is the vehicle's GPS airspeed (upper left vertical bar) and GPS altitude (upper right vertical bar). Magnetic heading, bank, and pitch are also displayed to present the operator with a comprehensive three-dimensional representation of where aircraft 1000 is, how it is performing, and where it is heading. be. Other screens can be selected from a row of touch-sensitive buttons along the bottom of the screen.

FIGS. 21-23 illustrate the fueling subs in multi-rotor aircraft 1000, including the heat transfer and heat exchange components with cooling body 102, and the system connectivity of the various fueling, power generation, and motor control components of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a profile diagram showing an alternative exemplary location of the system and power generation subsystem; An exemplary embodiment of the configuration of the power generation subsystem including the heat transfer and cooling source 1010 components within the multi-rotor aircraft 1000 is shown in a diagram showing the locations and compartments housing the fuel supply and power generation subsystems along with the coolant fluid conduits 142. show. A power generation subsystem may have varying numbers of fuel cells, eg, sets of hydrogen fuel cells, based on the particular usage configuration. Battery operation and control is enabled via CAN protocol or similar data bus or network or wireless or other means of communication. A flight control algorithm modulates and monitors the power supplied by the fuel cell via CAN. FIG. 23 shows two views showing the location of an array of propellers 1006 extending from the frame of the multi-rotor aircraft 1006 fuselage 1002 and extending support arms 1008 in a generally annular configuration. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the plurality of electric motors 126 are supported by elongated support arms 1008 that support (in suspension) the aircraft 1000 itself as the aircraft 1000 ascends. . A side and top view of a multi-rotor aircraft 1000 is shown with an elongated support arm 1008 attached to support a plurality of motors 126 and propeller 1006 assemblies clearly showing a cooling body 102, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Six rotors (propellers 1006 ) are shown cantilevered from the frame of the multi-rotor aircraft 1000 showing the position of the fuselage 1002 .

FIG. 24 shows an exemplary diagram of the fuel tank, fuel cell, radiator, heat exchanger, and air conditioning components along with the most basic components of the power generation subsystem and the interrelated conduits for heat transfer between the components. show. The integrated system fuel delivery subsystem includes a carbon fiber epoxy shell or stainless steel or other rugged shell, plastic or metal liner, metal interface, crash/drop protection, as well as a pressure increase unit, Alt port of _LH2 , refueling port, LH ₂ with pressure gauge with switch contacts, pressure transformer/level/vacuum gauge/pressure regulator, spare port, 1/4 inch (13.8 mm) sensor (liquid detection) and fittings A, B, and C It has a 400L fuel tank. Fitting C includes at least one 1 inch (34 mm) union (interface with heat exchanger) as well as a _1/2 inch (21.7 mm) safety valve for converting LH2 to _GH2 , vaporizer or Including vessels and piping that are routed to the heating components, fuel piping, and heat exchangers or otherwise in contact with the fluid conduits for the water of the fuel cell coolant 118 . Fitting A includes at least one fuel supply connection or at least one fuel transfer connection for charging, or a refuel connection for charging, LH ₂ refuel port (female fuel transfer connection) . Fitting B includes a 3/8 inch B (17.3 mm) (vent), a 1 bar (100 kPa) vent for charging, a self-pressure boosting unit, and at least two safety relief valves. Each component is in fluid communication with one or more fuel cells, the fuel tank containing a fuel selected from the group consisting of gaseous hydrogen ( _GH2 ), liquid hydrogen ₍ LH2), or similar fluid fuels. configured to store and transport One or more temperature sensing devices or thermal safety sensors monitor the temperature and concentration of gases within the fuel delivery subsystem, one or more pressure gauges, one or more level sensors, one or more It also has a vacuum gauge and one or more temperature sensors.

According to one embodiment, a cooling system comprises a fuel cell module, a motor, a motor controller, and a heat exchanger and radiator configured for electronic cooling by heat transfer. Each heat exchanger has tubes, unions, vacuum ports/feedthroughs and vents. The vaporizer may be interconnected with the heat exchanger by fluid conduits 142 , pipes or tubes, or may function as a heat exchanger itself by contacting fluid coolant 118 and fluid conduit 142 . In one embodiment, the heat exchanger more efficiently transfers energy/heat from one fluid to another by implementing different principles related to thermal conductivity, thermodynamics in general and fluid dynamics It may also have a lightweight aluminum heat exchanger or a compact fluid heat exchanger. Such fluid heat exchangers use a warm and/or hot fluid coolant 118 that normally flows inside the fluid conduit 142 and the high pressure line. Thermal energy is transferred by convection as the fluid (coolant 118) in the fluid conduit 142 flows through the system, the moving fluid contacting the inner walls of the fluid conduit 142 having surfaces of different temperatures and Motion establishes heat transfer per unit surface due to convection. In heat conduction, heat then naturally flows from the hotter fluid conduit 142 to the colder flow tube, conduit 142 or high pressure conduit over the area of physical contact between the two components within the heat exchanger body. Thermal energy is then transferred from the inlet tube/fuel conduit 142/fuel line 142 inner wall to the fluid in pressure line 142 that flows by contacting the surface area of the fuel flow tube/fuel conduit 142/fuel line 142 inner wall. It is transmitted again by convection.

Heat exchangers can be classified by reference flow, including co-current, counter-current, and cross-flow. The heat exchanger can be shell and tube, plate, fin, spiral, and combinations of the above types, comprising one of copper, stainless steel, and alloys and combinations thereof, or other electrically conductive materials. can. Connections may be made using any known method of connecting pipes. measuring a thermodynamic operating condition comprises measuring a first temperature corresponding to one or more thermal energy sources and evaluating one or more additional temperatures corresponding to a thermal reference;1 The one or more thermal criteria have one or more criteria selected from the group consisting of operating parameters, warning parameters, equipment settings, occupant control settings, alternate components, alternate zones, temperature sensors, and external reference information. The one or more sources are selected from the group consisting of a power generation subsystem, an external temperature zone, and a fuel supply subsystem. The one or more thermal energy destinations are selected from the group consisting of the power generation subsystem, the internal temperature zone, the external temperature zone, and the fuel delivery subsystem. In one embodiment, the fuel cell control system has six motors and three fuel cell modules, with redundant connections allowing any two of the three fuel cells to power all six motors.

Also shown are at least one radiator, coolant outlet, an exemplary fuel cell module, coolant inlet, airflow sensing and regulation, and a coolant (coolant circulation) pump. The thermal energy control subsystem 1010 is associated with the fuel supply subsystem with the fuel and associated with the power generation subsystem with the first fluid conduit 142 in fluid communication and the fluid coolant 118 in fluid communication with the second conduit. configured to connect, thermal energy is transferred from the coolant to the fuel by conduction across the conduction interface, thereby warming the fuel, cooling the coolant, and one or more temperature sensing devices or thermal energy The sensing device further has a fuel temperature sensor and a coolant temperature sensor. Additional components include at least one vacuum sensor and port, and level sensor feedthroughs. The fuel delivery subsystem monitors, directs, reroutes, and regulates coolant flow through coolant conduits in an appropriate manner to supply, but is not limited to, power generation subsystems (e.g., fuel cell modules). It further comprises various components, including pressure transmitters, level sensors, coolant circulating pumps, and pressure regulator solenoid valves used to. In one embodiment, the fuel may be supplied by a separate coolant (e.g., in fluid communication with the heat exchanger) from the power generation subsystem (e.g., fuel cell module); shares a cooling loop or circuit with a coolant conduit that transports coolant with a power generation subsystem (e.g., fuel cell module); It may have fuel lines that serve as coolant conduits for various components, including power generation subsystems (eg, fuel cell modules), either through thermally conductive contact or indirect contact with heat exchangers. An autopilot control unit or computer processor operates the components of the subsystem to control the external temperature zones (at least one radiator or one or more thermal energy to one or more thermal energy destinations, including the fuel delivery subsystem (using the thermal energy control subsystem 1010 with heat exchangers or vaporizers), and the like. It is further configured to calculate, select and control the amount and distribution of transmission. Distribution may be from one or more sources using fluid conduits 142 or HVAC subsystems to one or more thermal energy destinations with fuel supply subsystems.

The thermal interface of thermal energy control subsystem 1010 interconnects multiple subsystems and components located at significant distances on aircraft 1000 and transports heat and thermal energy for transfer to various destinations. is important to facilitate the use of working fluids for The thermal interface further uses thermodynamics, including conduction, to transfer fuel supplied by high-pressure lines in fluid communication with one or more heat exchangers across the heat exchanger walls and surfaces of the heat exchangers. , has one or more heat exchangers configured to transfer heat or thermal energy from a fluid coolant 118 supplied by a coolant fluid conduit 142 in fluid communication with the one or more heat exchangers. , the fluid coolant 118 and the fuel remain physically isolated from each other. After performing thermal energy transfer from one or more sources to one or more thermal energy destinations, the exemplary method uses one or more temperature sensing devices or thermal energy sensing devices to: , the power generation subsystem, the fuel supply subsystem and associated subsystems, and then the thermodynamic operating conditions of the one or more fuel cells and one or more motor control units. The steps of data comparison, calculation, selection and control, and execution are performed to repeatedly manage the operating conditions of multi-rotor aircraft 1000 .

FIG. 25 includes a flow chart illustrating, in simplified form, a measure-analyze-adjust-control technique that some exemplary embodiments of the invention may employ. 7 shows a flow chart illustrating the present invention according to one exemplary embodiment of a method 700 for performing cooling. The method 700 begins at step 702 by placing the flow of fluid coolant 118 in fluid communication with a coolant source 1010 (a thermal energy control subsystem, a heat exchanger therein, or a fuel tank of a fuel supply subsystem). or a plurality of hydrogen fuel cells in fluid communication with one or more heat exchangers or radiators and in fluid communication with one or more motors 126, motor controllers, and cooling bodies 102. , through one or more fluid conduits 142 into and through the cooling system of the electric motor 126 . Prepare. At step 704 , the fluid coolant 118 is removed from the cooling system of the electric motor 126 and received within the cold plate assembly 100 from one or more fluid conduits 142 in fluid communication with the motor 126 . It flows into the first portion of the internal fluid cavity 116 . At step 706, the fluid coolant 118 is circulated around the central opening 124 of the fluid cooling plate assembly 100 in a direction from the fluid inlet 144 to the fluid outlet 148, circulating the fluid coolant 118 through the top wall 104, the bottom wall 106, and so on. , hub wall 108 , peripheral wall 110 , partition wall 112 and aperture wall 114 . At step 708, the fluid coolant 118 from one or more fluid outlets 148 is removed from a second portion of the internal fluid cavity 116 fitted with an outlet fitting 150 (matching and mating with a suitable bore 120). Distribute to one or more fluid conduits 142 . The system resumes the iterative cycle at step 710 returning fluid coolant 118 through one or more fluid conduits 142 to coolant source 1010 , thereby driving multiple motors 126 and propellers 1006 in multi-rotor aircraft 1000 . Cooling is performed for a power generation subsystem that supplies voltage and current in an electrical circuit having a plurality of motor controllers configured to control the assembly. In the coolant source 1010, excess heat generated by the functions of the fuel cell, motor controller and motor 126 is exhausted with exhaust gases and/or _H2O and cooled by forced airflow over the radiator. A direct interface between two different fluids dissipated using multiple coolant-filled radiators or supplied by the working fluid in fluid conduits used by one or more heat exchangers GH ₂ can be extracted from LH ₂ by thermal energy transfer, which heats LH ₂ without heating. Heat or thermal energy (including heated fluid coolant 118) and H ₂ O vapor are continuously generated and transferred as the process steps of the present invention are repeatedly performed to produce electricity.

In alternate embodiments, the coolant source 1010 and power generation subsystem may have an engine, generator, battery, or other power source known in the art instead of a fuel cell to provide heat transfer and The dissipation stage works in the same way. Using an autopilot control unit or computer processor to effect thermal energy transfer from the power generation subsystem to one or more thermal energy destinations using fluid in fluid communication with components of the power generation subsystem. , transporting heat or thermal energy to different locations corresponding to thermal energy destinations, thereby reducing the temperature or excess thermal energy of one or more sources. To accomplish this, the processor selects source and thermal energy destination pairs, obtains the stored routing data for the pairs, and then initiates and activates the appropriate valves, regulators, conduits, and components. or coordinated to channel working fluid, including fluid coolant 118, through aircraft 1000 to direct the flow of fluid from a source to one or more thermal energy destinations. For example, if the temperature regulation protocol indicates that the fuel cell modules that receive heated fluid from the motor 126 and the cooling body 102 need to dissipate and transfer waste heat, the processor directs the fuel delivery subsystem to thermal energy. Optional as a destination, the processor operates coolant pumps and appropriate valves in fluid communication with fluid coolant conduits 142 connected to and in fluid communication with the fuel cell module so that the fluid coolant 118 is , travels from the fuel cell module through the fluid coolant conduit 142 and piping along the route leading to the heat exchanger, and then similarly operates the pump and valve 88 in the fuel piping 85, thus activating the coolant 31 and fuel 30 flow simultaneously through separate conduits of the processor-activated heat exchanger 57 , and heat or thermal energy is transferred from the hotter coolant 31 through the conduits, walls and body of heat exchanger 57 . across and is transferred to the cooler fuel 30, thereby reducing the temperature of the fuel cell module 18 source and increasing the temperature of the fuel 30, or more generally the fuel delivery subsystem. Performing thermal energy transfer from one or more sources to one or more thermal energy destinations bypasses the fluid flow of fuel 30 or coolant 31 using valves 88 and coolant pumps 76 . Coolant 31 may include water and additives such as antifreeze. While the processor continues to measure the fuel cell module 18, the processor diverts flow to other destinations for thermal energy transfer, reduces flow to the heat exchanger, or stops flow to the heat exchanger to reduce flow. can be redirected to different thermal energy transfer destinations.

In an alternative embodiment, one or more of the cooling plate apparatus 100 or the cooling bodies 102 therein are in fluid communication with both the one or more motors 126 comprising the power generation subsystem and the coolant source 1010. , heat transfer and management radiators in these systems without the need for additional radiators, heat exchangers, vents, or other heat dissipation means. In each exemplary embodiment, multiple processors may work together to perform different functions to accomplish the energy transfer task. The integrated system repeatedly or continuously measures components, compartments, and subsystems to continually adjust the energy transfer and thermal performance of aircraft 1000 to meet design and operating condition parameters. Thermal sensing of multi-rotor aircraft 1000 having a first temperature corresponding to a thermal energy source and one or more additional temperatures corresponding to thermal criteria using one or more temperature sensing devices or thermal energy sensing devices. Measuring dynamic operating conditions may include fuel temperature, fuel tank temperature, fuel cell or fuel cell module temperature, battery temperature, motor controller temperature, coolant temperature or peak controller temperature, motor temperature, or peak motor temperature or total temperature. Further comprising measuring one or more selected from the group consisting of motor temperature, radiator 60 temperature, cabin temperature, and outside air temperature. A temperature adjustment protocol may be calculated by the exemplary method 700 and integrated system using an algorithm based on the autopilot control unit 32 or computer processor and comparison results. Selecting and controlling the amount and distribution of thermal energy transfer from one or more sources based on the temperature regulation protocol to bring the sources to an improved operating temperature. directing one or more thermal energy transfer destinations, and selecting and controlling the amount and distribution of thermal energy transfer from the one or more sources.

The methods 700 and systems described herein are not limited to a particular aircraft 1000 or hardware or software configuration and may find applicability in many aircraft or operating environments. For example, the algorithms described herein can be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination thereof. The method 700 and system 100 can be implemented in one or more computer programs, which are understood to include one or more processor-executable instructions. A computer program can be executed on one or more programmable processors and on one or more storage media readable by the processor, one or more input devices, and/or one or more output devices ( (including volatile and non-volatile memory and/or storage elements). Thus, a processor can access one or more input devices to obtain input data and can access one or more output devices to communicate output data. The input and/or output devices may be one or more of the mission control tablet computer 36, mission planning software 34 program, throttle pedals, sidearm controllers, yokes or wheels, or other motion display devices accessible by the processor. As may be the case, such foregoing examples are intended to be illustrative, not exhaustive, and non-limiting.

Computer programs are preferably implemented using one or more high-level procedural or object-oriented programming languages to communicate with a computer system, although programs may optionally be implemented in assembly language or It can be implemented in machine language. Languages can be compiled or interpreted.

Thus, as provided herein, the processors, in some embodiments, can be embedded in three identical devices that can operate independently in a networked or communication environment, where the network For example, it may include a local area network (LAN) such as Ethernet, or a serial network such as RS232 or CAN. The network can be wired, wireless RF, or broadband, or a combination thereof, and can use one or more communication protocols to facilitate communication between different processors. The processors can be configured for distributed processing, and in some embodiments can utilize a client-server model if desired. Thus, the method and system can utilize multiple processors and/or processor devices to perform the necessary algorithms and determine appropriate vehicle commands, and when implemented with three units, the three units can can vote among themselves and reach agreement on two out of three actions to take. Voting can also be performed using other numbers of units (eg, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.), as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. For example, voting can use other system state information to break any relationships that can occur when an even number of units do not match, thus ensuring that the system has an acceptable level of safety for operation. reach an agreement to provide sex.

Devices or computer systems that integrate with the processor for displaying presentations include, for example, personal computers with displays, workstations (e.g., Sun, HP), personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablets such as the iPad, Or, it can include another device that can communicate with the processor that can operate as provided herein. Accordingly, the devices provided herein are not exhaustive and are provided for purposes of illustration and not limitation.

References to "a processor" or "the processor" can be understood to include one or more processors capable of communicating in a stand-alone and/or distributed environment, and thus via wired or wireless communication. , and such one or more processors may be configured to run on one or more processor-controlled devices, which may be similar or different devices. Further, references to memory, unless specified otherwise, may include one or more processor-readable and accessible memory elements and/or components, which may be internal to the processor-controlled device, external to the processor-controlled device. can be accessed over wired or wireless networks using various communication protocols, and unless otherwise specified, can be configured to include a combination of external and internal memory devices, and such memory may be can be continuous and/or segmented based on References to a network may include one or more networks, intranets, and/or the Internet, unless specified otherwise.

Although the method and system have been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, they are not so limited. For example, the methods and systems may apply to a variety of vehicles having 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, or more independent motor controllers and motors 126, thus providing different operating capabilities. The system may operate under operator control or may operate from the ground via a network or data link. Many modifications and variations may be apparent in light of the above teachings, and many additional changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts described and illustrated herein may be made by those skilled in the art.

Claims (36)

A cooling plate device,
a top wall axially offset from the bottom wall;
a hub wall interposed between the top wall and the bottom wall;
a peripheral wall offset from the hub wall having a greater offset distance from the central axis than the hub wall, the peripheral wall being interposed between the top wall and the bottom wall and around the top wall; a perimeter wall connecting to the perimeter of the bottom wall;
an internal fluid cavity configured to hold and allow a circulating fluid coolant, said internal fluid cavity comprising an inner surface of said hub wall, an inner surface of said top wall, an inner surface of said bottom wall, and said peripheral wall; an internal fluid cavity defined by and disposed within an interior surface of
a partition wall interposed between said top wall and said bottom wall, said partition wall separating a portion of said internal fluid cavity and allowing directional flow through said internal fluid cavity; and an open wall isolating said internal fluid cavity from a passage conduit for electrical wires connecting through an electric motor;
one or more fasteners configured to fit a subset of the plurality of bores of the cooling body, the plurality of bores receiving fluid coolant in a first portion of the internal fluid cavity; and a plurality of fasteners further defining fluid inlets of and one or more fluid outlets that distribute fluid coolant from a second portion of the internal fluid cavity;
A cooling plate apparatus, wherein said top wall, said bottom wall, said hub wall, said peripheral wall and said cooling body each comprise a thermally conductive material. surrounded and defined by a central opening extending through the cooling plate arrangement, through the top wall, through the bottom wall and/or the outer surface of the hub wall aligned with the central axis of the electric motor; 2. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more fluid conduit bores isolating fluid coolant entering said drive shaft or propeller shaft and said electric motor from said internal fluid cavity. The cooling plate assembly attaches a top surface of the cooling plate assembly to a housing or bottom of a stator of the electric motor and makes thermally conductive contact using a first set of fasteners of the plurality of fasteners; 2. The cold plate assembly of claim 1, removably connecting to the electric motor by creating a thermally conductive bond between the motor and the cold plate assembly. A first set of fasteners of the plurality of fasteners each having a bolt and using bores of a first subset of the plurality of bores to secure both the top wall and the bottom wall of the cooling body. extending through and threaded to mate with motor bores located in a housing or bottom of a stator of said electric motor, a first set of said plurality of bores extending through said plurality of bores of said electric motor; 4. The cooling plate assembly of claim 3, concentric with the motor bore and of the same diameter. The first set of fasteners or the second set of fasteners of the plurality of fasteners extends through the cooling plate assembly and comprises a support bracket, an elongated support arm and a support armature. or attached to one or more of the airframe fuselages, a second set of fasteners each having a bolt extending through the bottom wall of the cooling body but not through the top wall; 4. A second subset of said plurality of bores having ridges and threaded to mate with a second subset of said plurality of bores having blind bores terminating inside one or more of said hub wall or said cooling body. A cooling plate apparatus as described. 2. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of fasteners comprises thermally conductive material. The cooling plate assembly has an aperture wall having an outer surface that surrounds and defines a passage aperture dimensioned and positioned to allow electrical wires to pass through the cooling plate assembly, the aperture wall defining the internal fluid cavity. isolated from the passage opening, an inner surface of the opening wall further defining the internal fluid cavity, and the wires connecting the electric motor to one or more of a power generating subsystem or a diagnostic subsystem; or a power line or a signal power line for connecting a motor sensor. 2. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein said inner surface of said hub wall abuts an inner surface of said partition wall. 2. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein said inner surface of said hub wall is adjacent to an inner surface of said aperture wall. 2. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein said top wall is parallel to said bottom wall. 2. The cooling plate of claim 1, wherein the hub wall and the perimeter wall are annular in cross-section, the top wall and the bottom wall each have a circular perimeter, and the hub wall is concentric with the perimeter wall. Device. 2. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hub wall and the peripheral wall have a wall thickness less than the maximum/outer radius of the cooling plate apparatus, and wherein the hub wall is concentric with the peripheral wall. . The hub wall, the perimeter wall, the partition wall and the aperture wall each have an axial height that is the axial distance of the offset between the top wall and the bottom wall, each at a perpendicular angle to the bottom plate. 2. The cooling plate assembly of claim 1, wherein each is coupled to the top surface of the top plate at a vertical angle. 2. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein said inner surface of said hub wall abuts inner surfaces of said perimeter wall, said partition wall and said aperture wall. further comprising a fluid inlet for receiving a fluid coolant into said internal fluid cavity, said internal fluid cavity transporting said fluid coolant around a central axis of said cooling plate apparatus and fluid cooling out from a fluid outlet; 2. A cooling plate according to claim 1, wherein said partition wall prevents said fluid coolant entering said fluid inlet from mixing with said fluid coolant exiting said fluid outlet. Device. The cooling plate arrangement transfers heat generated by the electric motor by convection, radiation and/or conduction from the electric motor through the cooling body and then to a fluid coolant circulating within the internal fluid cavity. 2. The cold plate assembly of claim 1, which is a heat sink of the electric motor that heats or discharges to the external environment around the cold plate assembly. 17. The cooling plate apparatus of any one of claims 1-16, wherein the thermally conductive material further comprises a thermally conductive alloy. 18. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 17, wherein the thermally conductive alloy is one of titanium, aluminum, or combinations thereof. A first portion of the cooling body having the top wall is machined from a first piece of heat transfer alloy and the cooling having the bottom wall machined from a second piece of heat transfer alloy. 19. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 18, arranged to fit in a fluid tight configuration with a second part of the body, the first part then being connected to the second part of the cooling body. 20. The cooling of claim 19, wherein said bottom wall of said cooling body and/or said top wall of said cooling body further comprises one or more coupling structures for fitting said bottom wall to said top wall. plate device. The first portion is secured to the second portion of the cooling body using a third set of fasteners, each having a bolt through the bottom wall of the cooling body. said plurality of bores having blind bores extending through said upper wall, having threads and terminating inside one or more of said peripheral wall, said hub wall or said cooling body; 20. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 19 threaded to mate with a third subset of . The cooling body has a first portion and a second portion both constructed from the thermally conductive alloy comprising aluminum, the first portion coupled to the second portion, and the second portion The portions have concave cavities that create fluid cavities, and a gasket that creates a fluid seal is provided between the first portion and the second portion when the first portion is coupled to the second portion. 22. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 21 interposed between portions. 19. The cold plate apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cold plate apparatus is formed as a single piece from the thermally conductive alloy using a three dimensional printing tool or technique. at least a first subset of the plurality of bores are equiradially spaced from a central axis of the cooling plate apparatus into or through the hub wall with a central axis of each bore of the first subset; , evenly spaced equidistant between central axes of adjacent bores of said first subset of said plurality of bores. 2. The cooling plate of claim 1, wherein a fourth subset of the plurality of bores of the cooling plate arrangement has conduit bores configured to connect fluid conduits or wires and connections thereof to the electric motor. Device. 2. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein said internal fluid cavity contains and circulates a liquid coolant. 2. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein the internal fluid cavity contains and circulates a liquid coolant comprising water or antifreeze combined with water and ethylene glycol. The cooling plate assembly employs one or more high pressure lines or fluid conduits removably connected to the cooling plate assembly and in fluid communication with the cooling plate assembly via a fluid inlet fitting or a fluid outlet fitting. 28. A cooling plate according to any preceding claim, thereby being in fluid communication with one or more of a coolant pump, a coolant reservoir, a coolant junction, a coolant outlet or a coolant inlet. Device. When the cooling plate assembly is in fluid communication with a cooling system or fluid circulation system of the electric motor, heated fluid coolant from the electric motor flows through the cooling plate assembly using the internal fluid cavities. circulating and cooling the heated fluid coolant by thermal energy transfer using convection, radiation and/or conduction; 28. The cold plate apparatus of claim 27, which is recycled to the system. receiving fluid coolant from said one or more high pressure lines or fluid conduits through a fluid inlet fitting coupling said one or more high pressure lines or fluid conduits to a fifth subset of said plurality of bores; 29. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a plurality of fluid inlets thereby forming fluid tight conduits through the bottom wall to the first portion of the internal fluid cavity. distributing a fluid coolant to said one or more high pressure lines or fluid conduits through a fluid outlet fitting coupling said one or more high pressure lines or fluid conduits to a sixth subset of said plurality of bores; 30. The cooling plate apparatus of claim 29, further comprising or a plurality of fluid outlets thereby forming fluid tight conduits through the bottom wall to a second portion of the internal fluid cavity. The cooling plate device is
a coolant source having one or more of a coolant pump, a coolant reservoir, a coolant junction, or a coolant outlet;
Using a coolant source having one or more of a coolant pump, a coolant reservoir, a coolant junction, or a coolant outlet at a first end and a thrulet coupling at a second end a high pressure line or fluid conduit disposed through fluid conduit bores of a fourth subset of said plurality of bores removably connected to and in fluid communication with an inlet of said electric motor cooling system or fluid circulation system; an inlet conduit;
At a first end an outlet of the cooling system or the fluid circulation system of the electric motor using a thrulet joint and at a second end the internal fluid cavity of the cooling body of the cooling plate arrangement. fluid in a fourth subset of the plurality of bores removably connected to and in fluid communication with an inlet fitting of the one or more fluid inlets of the cooling body configured to receive a fluid coolant in the a first intermediate conduit having a high pressure or fluid conduit disposed through the conduit bore;
fluid contact with one or more of the inner surface of the hub wall, the inner surface of the top wall, the inner surface of the bottom wall, the inner surface of the perimeter wall, the inner surface of the partition wall, the inner surface of an aperture wall, or combinations thereof. said internal fluid cavity shaped to circulate fluid coolant about a central axis of said cooling plate apparatus in a direction from said fluid inlet to fluid outlet while maintaining
fluid outlet of said internal fluid cavity of said cooling body of said cooling plate apparatus via a fluid outlet fitting at a first end and to said coolant source at a second end of an outlet conduit; enabling flow of a fluid coolant through interconnected components in fluid communication with said outlet line having a high pressure line or fluid conduit connected and in fluid communication;
thereby directing coolant flow from a coolant source through said inlet conduit, through said electric motor cooling system or said fluid circulation system, from said electric motor cooling system or fluid circulation system to said cooling plate arrangement; through the first intermediate conduit, through the one or more fluid inlets, into the internal fluid cavity of the cooling body of the cooling plate assembly, about the central axis of the cooling plate assembly, the fluid In the direction from the inlet to the fluid outlet, through the outlet conduit via the fluid outlet fitting, out of the internal fluid cavity via the fluid outlet and back to the coolant source, the electric motor is driven by conduction, convection and radiation. and parts thereof, thereby transporting unheated fluid coolant to said electric motor and transporting heated coolant from said electric motor in a repeating cycle. further comprising a plurality of fluid inlets, a plurality of inlet conduits, a plurality of intermediate conduits, a plurality of fluid outlets, and a plurality of outlet conduits, wherein the plurality of fluid inlets and the plurality of fluid outlets each correspond to the cooling body; and permitting fluid to enter and exit said internal fluid cavity, said cooling plate arrangement producing a flow of fluid coolant through each of said plurality of fluid inlets and said plurality of fluid outlets; 32. The cold plate apparatus of claim 31, wherein the cooling plate apparatus is configured as: The cooling plate arrangement is indirectly coupled to the cooling system of the electric motor, and the cooling body interconnects with heat-conducting components of the electric motor, thereby providing the upper wall, the bore, and the fasteners. heat is transferred from the electric motor to the cooling body by surface contact and conduction using a, cooled fluid coolant is recirculated, and the cooling plate device is configured to:
a coolant source having one or more of a coolant pump, a coolant reservoir, a coolant junction, or a coolant outlet;
At a first end, a coolant source having one or more of a coolant pump, a coolant reservoir, a coolant junction, or a coolant outlet; an inlet having a high pressure line or fluid conduit removably connected to and in fluid communication with an inlet fitting of said one or more fluid inlets of said cooling body configured to receive a fluid coolant in an internal fluid cavity; a pipeline;
Circulating within the internal fluid cavity in a direction from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the inner surface of the hub wall, the inner surface of the top wall, the inner surface of the bottom wall, the inner surface of the peripheral wall, the inner surface of the partition wall, and an opening. a central axis of the cooling plate apparatus maintaining fluid contact with one or more of the inner surfaces of the walls, or combinations thereof;
said cooling body of said cooling plate apparatus via a fluid outlet removably connected to and in fluid communication with a first end of an outlet line having a high pressure line or fluid conduit via a fluid outlet fitting; generating a flow of fluid coolant through interconnected components in fluid communication having an internal fluid cavity, the second end of the outlet conduit being removably connected to and in fluid communication with the coolant source; ,
Thereby, a flow of coolant is directed from a coolant source, through the inlet conduit, to the cooling plate arrangement, and through the one or more fluid inlets to the internal fluid cavity of the cooling body of the cooling plate arrangement. , about the central axis of the cooling plate apparatus, in the direction from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, through an outlet conduit through a fluid outlet fitting and out of the internal fluid cavity through the fluid outlet; 34. A coolant source as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, cooling the electric motor and its components by conduction, convection, radiation, thereby transporting heat from the electric motor in a repeating cycle. cooling plate device. 2. Further comprising a seventh subset of bores disposed in or through said peripheral wall and defining one or more of a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a fluid conduit bore, or a sensor port. 35. The cooling plate apparatus of any one of Claims 1 to 34. The electrical wires passing through and connecting the electric motors include power wires, three-phase power connectors, temperature sensors, Hall sensors, speed and position sensors, resolvers, tandem resolvers, encoders, for synchronizing electrical and mechanical motor angles. or sensors for controlling the position, direction and speed of rotation of said electric motor, wherein said additional wires of said wires are connected to said passage for said cold plate apparatus or wires. 36. A cooling plate apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, passing through a central opening extending through the conduit.

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